Community resilience (CR) refers to a complex, multi-dimensional, multi-layered process through which communities demonstrate a capacity to withstand and respond positively to stress or change. Enhancing CR is now a political priority as a result of rapid global change and concomitant levels of uncertainty that now dominate our international landscape. Whilst the importance of CR is acknowledged by academics, policy makers and practitioners, the concept continues to be characterised by ambiguity with little agreement on what CR is or how it can be enhanced and subsequently sustained. This paper aims to establish what is currently known about CR, identify the key theoretical and methodological limitations of the research as it presently stands and provide recommendations for the future development of this body of research. The purpose of this paper is to enhance our understanding of CR and its potential application for policy and practice.